Toy spring pistol



March 13, 1951 M, JENKINS 2,545,358

TOY SPRING PISTOL Filed July l, 1946 *Y Km fir-- o INVENTOR MARIONJENKINS ATTORNEY Patented Mar.v 13, 1.951

naires stares earenr oir-Fics Marion Jenkins', Denver, Colo. ApplicationJuly 1, 1946, Serial No. 680,551)y This invention relates toimprovements in Vtoy pistols and has reference toa spring operatedpistol for shooting small pellets, such as marbles, peas or shot ofdifferent kinds. f

' It is the object ofY this invention to produce a toy pistol intendedmore particularly for shooting marbles, but which can, of course, beemployed for shooting other projectiles.

l Another object of this invention is to produce a magazine pistol inwhich a numbe'rbf marbles or other pellets can be loaded into a magazineand each expelled separately and in quick succession.

A further object of the invention is to produce a pistol of theso-called double action type in which the operator, by compressing alever or trigger, lirst cocks the hammer and then, on a furthermovement, releases it and discharges the projectile.

Another object of this invention is to produce a toy pistol of the kindmentioned that can be cast from plastic material or hard rubber, metalor any other suitable material and which will also be of such a designthat the parts can be formed by dies.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as this descriptionproceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement ofparts that will now be described in detail and for this purposereference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the inventionhas been illustrated in its preferred form,

" and in which:

Figure ly is a longitudinal section through the pistol showing theelements in their normal relation;

- Figure 2 is a Section taken on line 2 2, Figurel;

Figure' is a fragmentary section similar to that shownin Figure 1, andshows the parts in the position they assume at the moment the hammer isreleased;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, Figure l;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5, Figure l;

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6 6, Figurekand v Figure 7 is amodification thereof.

In the drawing reference numerals lll and Il represent the barrel andthe magazine of the pistoL- respectively. The barrel and magazine v2Claims. (Cl. 124 27) ence numeral I2 in Figure 2. The outer end of themagazine is usually closed by means of a cork or other plug I3, andcontains a number of marbles or other projectiles like thosedesignatedby reference numeral It. The inner end of the magazine isclosed by meansof a plug l5. The partition between the magazine and the barrel is cutaway, leaving an opening It through which the projectiles may pass fromthe magazine to the barrel. Asmall rod or a spring like that designatedby reference numeral ia is positioned in a transversely elongatedopening and serves to prevent the accidental displacement of theprojectile in the barrel. f

Extending laterally from the inner ends of the barrel and magazine is ahandle portion that has been Ydesignated by reference numeral il. Atubular plug I8 ispositioned in the inner end of the barrel. f *YSlidably mounted in the opening in the plug is a plunger IS provided atthe'ends with heads like those designated by reference numeral 2U.Plunger I9 is freely slidable in the plug i8 and is preferably made fromwood or some other light material so as to have a small inertia. The

handle'is of `elongated U-shaped cross section, as shown in Figure 4. Alever which will be here. inafter referred to as the trigger and whichhas been designated by reference numeral 2| is mounted for rockingmovement about pivot 22. A spring 23 is coiled about pivot 22 whichnormally rests against the inner surface of the curved side thereof. Aspring 2d serves to hold the ltrigger in the position shown in Figure lwith the projection 25 resting against stop 26. A sear 2l is pivoted at28 and is' provided with a hub 29 to which it is connected by solder orAby welding so may be molded so as to form a unitary assembly as to givesome rigidity to the pivotal connection. A spring 3l) encloses the pivotand has one end resting against the top of the handle and the otherpositioned in the notch 3|. This spring is tensioned so as to normallyholdthe sear in the position shown in Figure 1 in which the projec tion32 rests against stop 33. When the parts are in normal position, spring24 urges the trig-l ger clockwise about its pivot, bringing the upperend of spring 23 into the position shown in Figure l, Where it extendsinto the notch 3E. The end of the spring 23Yis preferably provided witha cross member 35 so as to form a T. Thelsear is provided with adownwardly extending projection 36 that has a pin 37. g

Let us now assumethat the parts are in the' positionshown in Figure land thatpressure is applied to the trigger 2l suliciept to compressspring 24 and bend spring 23. The upper end of spring 23 will engage thewall of the notch 34 and hold the spring from movement. The trigger willcontinue to move until it assumes the position substantially like thatshown in Figure 3 when the upper end of the projection 25 will engagepin 31 and move the sear upwardly until it releases spring 23. Thelatter being now free to move in response to the strains to which it issubjectediwill snap forwardly hitting the rear end of plunger lll andthis, in turn, will transmit the impact to marble I4 that is positionedagainst the front end of the plunger. The marble or projectile i4 willthen be given a high velocityand emerge from the barrel at high speed.

As soon as pressure is released on the trigger, spring Z brings theparts backiintonormal position, which positionis showninFigure 1.Aprojectile from the magazine now drops down into *the barrel and isheld againsteaccidental displacement by {2E-a. v-'This operationcanbefcontinued untill lall cf tneprojecti-les havelbeen used,after-which the magazine-mustbef-reloaded. After each shot, it ispreferable 'to-turn the pistolsothat the muzzle points upwardly as this`facilitates the rearward movement oflplun-ger t9. Thelatter may,however, be connectedwith the I-spri-ng ZEb-yfmeans o1"-l 'a'V silkthread -orsome-'suitable' tension member liliefthatindicatedby'referenee numeral "3B, altl'rougirsuchA an interconnectionisnotnecessary.

The pistol Acan be used by boys Vshooting marl'les 'as itipermits-themarble to-be aimed and shot with -greatpreoisien- It may alsorbe usedfor shooting peas or BB shot or any'oth'er projectiles.

The pistol:ispreferably-inadein twoparts divided "alongline -l, inFigure 2, in wliichcase it' is held together byza number lof rivets :orscrews.

"Means 'has been provided for increasing 'fthe tension of spring 23 soas to compensateforprogres'sive'weakness dueto. age and use and alsol toincrease'the force o'f the shot. To effect this adjustment ajplate .isapplied to one side of the trigger as shown'in Figure ll. 'This plate isVprovided with a .plurality of teeth or notches llinto whichjthe spring'23 maybe moved. By moving the spring .towards the right when viewedasin Figurel, theA tension willoe increased. -The upper .end of thetrigger is alsoprovi'de'd with inwardly extending angesl that form a'slot 32 in which the spring 23 moves which guides .the spring in'itsmovement towards the endof vthe plunger.

"In Figure .a slightly modiedform ofconstruction has .been shown inwhich `tlsiepart .2 ia is. used merely for. tensioningv the ,spring andinstead .ofsear 2l' shown in Figuresl and 3, asear 21a.V is `usedwhichis in the shape ofafbelllcrank and terminatesv in .a downwardly.extending .trigger' 43. .A spring d'4 is positioned between trigger 43arid spring'2'3 vand .takesthe place fsprng 24 infFigures l and .3.Instead of using .the plungerA l an` elongated plunger I 9c. is-employedwhich isconnected with springlat .45. ,The end of sear .21a serves as-a.stopfen .the spring 4.2.3 and holds .it from .movement while itis being,lputunder tensionand after it .has been tensioned=..by moving Zia. into.the Yposition shown inFigure 3, t-hetrigger -43 v4is pulledVrearwardly, .whereupon plunger ma isoprojectedtowardsthaleia strikingfthefrnarble lll .andexpellingthe same through the barrel. Themodiicationshown in Figure 7 contains.. somamore parts .than the. .other.and increasesthesize dueto the .use of..plunger lila which .must have.a-.considerable ilength iin,..or,der

`'ment of projectiles, the wal-l separating the magazine and the barrelhaving an opening communir.eating the rear ends thereof and throughwhich projectiles may pass from the former to the latter, meansiforreleasably retaining a projectile in the rear end ofthe barrel, theimprovement for use with the above recited elements of means forZip'l'lyggto aA projectile a propelling force, comprising.; a searpivoted to the handle at a point above'the upper limit of the barrel,the sear extending rearwardly, spring means urging the rear end Nkf the.gear downwardly,means limiting the downwardmovement of the-Sear, atrigger pivoted to 'the handle at a point below the barrel, -a hammerspring having its lower end connected with thetrigger andits upper endprojectingabovethe trigger 'into the path of the sear, the latter havinga 4stop Ysurf-aceA for engaging the upper -end or" the hammerspring tolimit its Y'forward movement, spring means interposed between vthetrigger and the handle for urging the portion of the trigger below itspivotforwardly, whereby the upper end ci thehammer spring will normallybe positioned to the rear ,of the stop surface, wherebya rearwardmovement of the .lower end of the trigger willbend the hammerspringmaplunger' positioned in the path Uof thejihammer spring, between saidspring andthe barrel, vand means comprising a portion of the trigger formoving the sear to inoperativev position to release the hammer spring,'iter the latter hasbeenput under strain.

`2. In a .toy pistol cr the like of the type having a barrel `and atubular .magazine inlaxial parallel relation, a handle extendingdownwardlyinom the breech..end .ofthe barrel, theV breechendof themagazine .beingclosed to the rearward-nievement of projecti1es.the `wallseparating .the mag.- azine vand .the barrel having anopening coinmnnicat'i-ng the rear ends thereof l and through which projectiles maypass from. the former to the lattengneans-ior releasably retaining-.a.sprcjectile in the rear end of the barrehtheimprovementiornse with theabove recited elementsrof means fior .applying to a projectile vva.propelling force, comprising; a sear pivoted to the handleat a-.point..above the .upperlimit of the :barrel,the sear extendingrearwardly, spring meansurging therear `end rc ffthe sear downwardly,ineanslimitin the .downward movementof the seara .trigger piveted tothehandle ata .point belowthe barrel, a hammer spring having its lower-endconnected with they trigger .and its .upper endpizoiecting above thetrigger into the path of the seanthe latter having a stop surface forYengaging :the upper end of the hammer spring to limit :its .forwardmor-ement. .spring means interposed fbetween the trigger and the handleion-urging .the portion of the trigger ,below -its pivot forwardly,whereby vthe upper end .of .thehammeixsplting will normally.bepositioned to the real-'lof .the stop surface, .whereby .a .rearward.movement of .the lower end .ef -the ,trigger .willbend .the .hammerspringa.pliuiger .positioned .in thepath ,ofthe hammer springmetweensaid :spring .and the barrel, and means comprising a rearwardlyextending portion of the trigger for engaging the rear end of the searand raising it to hammer spring releasing position as the triggerapproaches its rearmost position.

MARION JENKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jonassen Oct. 3, 1922r MorcheFeb. 5,1935 Kiesel Sept. 1, 1936 Smith et al. Aug. 14, 1945

